Florida anti-bong bill moves ahead in House

Bill would make sale of bongs a first-degree misdemeanor

The House version of a bill that would outlaw the sale of marijuana pipes known as "bongs" has cleared another panel.

The House Judiciary committee approved the bill (HB 49) unanimously on Tuesday. An amendment also passed exempting traditional wooden pipes.

State law allows certain retailers to sell the pipes if at least 75 percent of their sales come from tobacco products or they have no more than 25 percent of "certain drug paraphernalia" sales. The bill eliminates that exception and makes any sale a first-degree misdemeanor. Second and subsequent violations would jump to a third-degree felony.

Democratic Rep. Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg is the bill sponsor. He said the House bill has passed four committees with only one "no" vote.

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